In recent years, there has been some amount of controversy about whether billboards and hoardings are legal. In some cities, they have been made illegal while in others, such as Delhi, after having been made illegal, they were once again made legal.
The main complaints against billboards are that they make cities ugly and that they distract drivers thereby putting human life at risk.
Some time ago, the Bombay High Court restrained an advertiser from operating mobile hoardings on main roads. The advertiser, Supri Advertising & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., who had been granted a contract by the Municipal Corporation of Brihan Mumbai for the purpose, appealed against the High Court’s order in the Supreme Court.
A vacation Bench of the Court headed by Justice C K Thakker has issued notices to the Maharashtra government, the Municipal Corporation of Brihan Mumbai and others asking them to explain why the advertiser who has allegedly invested over 25 crore INR in pursuance of the contract towards licence fee, occupancy charges, etc. should be so restrained from operating mobile hoardings.